BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – A NASA contractor is accused of stealing over $12,238 worth of gas by using government credit cards, according to the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office.
Thomas Strain, 48, was arrested on Tuesday after agents in NASA’s Office of Inspector General suspected him of stealing the money for his personal vehicle from July 2019 through December 2021, records show.
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NASA’s OIG found that 11 credit cards were used without approval on 159 occasions at dozens of gas stations in Brevard County, according to reports.
Strain worked for Jacobs Technology Inc., a contractor of the Kennedy Space Center. Jacobs related that an unknown individual within the company may have stolen the credit cards, which are stored in government vehicles, according to records.
Brevard deputies said NASA’s OIG reviewed 13 sets of videos that corresponded to the dates and time of the unauthorized transactions, and they identified Strain based on his appearance and the type of vehicle he owned.
The footage also showed that Strain was with another man and his lawn care equipment, according to records. Deputies said Strain used the credit cards to sell gas to Terry Smith, 47.
Strain would receive 50 cents on the dollar to give Smith gas. For example, if Strain gave Smith $100 worth of gas from the cards, then Strain would receive $50.
Deputies said Smith knew that Strain was using a “company card.”
Smith was arrested on Thursday. Both Strain and Smith face charges of grand theft, each with a $2,000 bond.